300887 Pte. Theophilus Jones British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry from:44 Ash Grove Avenue, West Hartlepool (d.16th Dec 1914) Theophilus Jones of the 18th DLI is widly regarded as the first man of the battalion to be killed in action, during the bombardment of the Hartlepools. He was buried with full military honours in Hartlepool on the 19th of December. 500 men of the battalion attended his funeral service at St Aidens Church. To-day, the body of the late Pte Theo Jones, one of the most popular members of the county battalion of the DLI, who was killed in the bombardment on Wednesday, was laid to rest at West Hartlepool (Stranton) cemetery. The service was held at st. Aidans church there being present 500 members of the county battalion, under the command of Majors Roberts, Tilly and Neville. The church was filled with these and numerous other friends of the late Pte Jones, including representatives of the Schools Athletic Association and the West Hartlepool Cricket Club, with which the deceased gentleman was connected. The hymn There is a land of pure delight was sung. Hundreds of people assembled outside the church and along the route to the cemetery, where a salute was fired and the last post sounded. Sgt Willson had charge of the firing party. The coffin was covered with many beautiful wreaths, one from the officers of the county battalion, and another from the NCOs and men. 19th Dec 1914 He was born in Darlington in 1885, son of Lettie Jones. He was employed as headmaster of Thringstone School when he enlisted in the 18th DLI. He was also given the job of church choirmaster, and in his spare time he played for the Coalville Rugby Club. His time at Thringstone was cut short when he volunteered for service as a private soldier with the DLI. Before leaving the village, his pupils presented him with a prayer book, and Jones then kept in touch by sending cheerful letters to the vicar. Sadly, Jones had been gone for 2 months when a telegram arrived at Thringstone Vicarage. The news was terrible - whilst on guard duty, Jones had been killed by fragments of shell fired from a German warship. On the same day, more than 100 civilians were killed in this terrible attack. In the breast pocket of his tunic, Jones had been carrying the prayer book that he had been given. A fragment of iron shell was found to have pierced the book almost all the way through. The book was brought to Thringstone and shown to a packed congregation by the vicar at a special memorial service.
|